Size and Creel Limits

Lakes and Ponds

Bass (largemouth) Protected Slot Limit Daily Creel Limit (per licensed angler)

14" – 18" three under 14" and one over 18" (four total)

Min. Length

Bass (smallmouth) catch and release only Bass (yellow, white or hybrid) under 17" 17"

Bluegill

none Catfish (channel or flathead) 12" Crappie (black or white) none Muskie 48"

Northern pike Rainbow trout Walleye Yellow perch 24" none 16" 9" Daily Creel Limit (per licensed angler)

none three (any combination) 25 three (any combination) 15 (any combination) one three five three five

Rivers

Min. Length

Daily Creel Limit (per licensed angler) Bass (large- or smallmouth) 12" six (any combination) Smallmouth are catch-and-release year-round in the West Branch DuPage River between the canoe launch at Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve and Fawell Dam at McDowell Grove Forest Preserve. Catfish (channel or flathead) none none Crappie none none Northern pike 24" three Walleye 14" six

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

With muskie and northern pike at Mallard Lake and large- and smallmouth bass at other locations — and each with different creel limits — it’s important to know how to identify these species.

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) 48" minimum catchable length

dark, vertical markings on light background

pointed paired fin

Northern Pike (Esox lucius)

24" minimum catchable length

light, horizontal, round or oval-shaped spots on dark background

rounded paired fin scales on upper part of cheek

pointed paired fin

scales on entire cheek pointed tail fin

rounded paired fin rounded tail fin Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) 14" – 18" protected slot dorsal fin sections nearly separated

bright to olive green head and back, sides lighter green

upper jaw extended beyond back edge of eye broad black stripe or line of broken splotches running along sides from head to tail

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui) catch and release only (lakes and ponds) dorsal fin sections separated by shallow notch brownish to bronze cast on back with shading to lighter hues on sides

upper jaw not extended beyond back edge of eye light hues on sides with dark vertical bars